Viral content isn’t random or dumb luck. Research from the Journal of Marketing Research sheds light on why people share content and provides insight into designing effective viral marketing campaigns.

Video content that arouses strong emotions -- such as awe or anger -- in viewers is more likely to become viral than videos that induce sadness or relaxation. The study by Wharton professors Jonah Berger and Katherine L. Milkman, also found that positive content is more likely to be viral than negative, although negative content was also linked to virality in cases with exciting content, such as a high-speed car chase.